Thomas Hobbes Quotes
April 5, 1588 – December 4, 1679
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Knowledge is power.
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapter X 
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More Thomas Hobbes Quotes
From the same it proceedeth,that men gives different names, to one and the same thing, from the difference of their own passions: As they that approve a private opinion, call it Opinion; but they that mislike it, Haeresie: and yet haeresie signifies no more than private opinion; but has only agreater tincture of choler
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 11, p. 50
I put for a general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.
Thomas Hobbes— 1651Leviathan, pt.1, ch.11.
They that are discontented under monarchy call it tyranny; and they that are displeased with aristocracy call it oligarchy; so also, they which find themselves grieved under a democracy call it anarchy, which signifies the want of government; and yet I think no man believes that want of government is any new kind of government.
Thomas Hobbes— 1651Leviathan, pt.2, ch.19.
A Free Man is he, that in those things, which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to.
Thomas Hobbes— 1651Leviathan, pt.2, ch.21.
The Enemy has been here in the night of our natural ignorance, and sown the tares of spiritual errors.
Thomas Hobbes— 1651Leviathan, pt.4, ch.44.
But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel , when by the hand of God, every man was stricken for his rebellion, with an oblivion of his former language.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 4, p. 12 (See also: Julian Jaynes)
A naturall foole that could never learn by heart the order of numerall words, as one , two , and three , may observe every stroak of the Clock, and nod to it, or say one, one, one; but can never know what houre it strikes.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 4, p. 14
" Understanding being nothing else, but conception caused by Speech."
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 4, p. 17
Sudden Glory , is the passion which maketh those Grimaces called LAUGHTER.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 6, p. 27 (italics and spelling as per text...)
And Beasts that have Deliberation , must necessarily also have Will .
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 6, p. 28
For there is no such thing as perpetual Tranquility of mind, while we live here; because Life it selfe is but Motion, and can never be without Desire, nor without Feare, no more than without Sense.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 6, p. 29 (See also: Rene Girard...)
And this Feare of things invisible, is the naturall Seed of that, which every one in himself calleth Religion; and in them that worship, or feare that Power otherwise than they do, Superstition.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 11, p. 51
And in these foure things, Opinion of Ghosts, Ignorance of second causes, Devotion towards what men fear, and Taking of things Casuall for Prognostics, consisteth the Natural seed of Religion ; which by reason of the different Fancies, Judgements, and Passions of severall men, hath grown up into ceremonies so different, that those which are used by one man, are for the most part ridiculous to another.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 12, p. 54
For Prudence, is but Experience; which equal time, equally bestows on all men, in those things they equally apply themselves unto.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 13, p. 60
A Covenant not to defend my selfe from force, by force, is always voyd.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 14, p. 69
Men looke not at the greatnesse of the evill past, but the greatnesse of the good to follow.
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 15, p. 76 (Italics as per text...)
"And seeing every man is presumed to do all things in order to his own benefit, no man is a fit Arbitrator in his own cause:"
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 15, p. 78
And the Science of them, is the true and onely Moral Philosophy. For Moral Philosophy is nothing else but the Science of what is Good , and Evill , in the conversation, and Society of mankind. Good , and Evill , are names that signify our Appetites, and Aversions; which in different tempers, customes, and doctrines of men, are different:
Thomas Hobbes— The First Part, Chapter 15, p. 79
But if one Subject giveth Counsell to another, to do anything contrary to the Lawes, whether that Counsell proceed from evil intention, or from ignorance onely, it is punishable by the Common-wealth; because igorance of the Law, is no good excuse, where every man is bound to take notice of the Lawes to which he is subject.
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 25, p. 132
" and where men build on false grounds, the more they build, the greater is the ruine:"
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 26, p. 140
The Interpretation of the Laws of Nature in a Common-wealth, dependeth not on the books of Moral Philosophy. The Authority of writers, without the Authority of the Commonwealth, maketh not their opinions Law, be they never so true.
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 26, p. 143
And whereas many men, by accident unevitable, become unable to maintain themselves by their labour; they ought not to be left to the Charity of private persons; but to be provided for, (as far-forth as the necessities of Nature require,) by the Lawes of the Common-wealth. For as it is Unchariablenesse in any man, to neglect the impotent; so it is in the Soveraign of a Common-wealth, to expose them to the hazard of such uncertain Charity.
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 30, p. 181
And when all the world is overcharged with Inhabitants, then the last remedy of all is Warre, which provideth for every man, by Victory or Death.
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 30, p. 181
And hereby it comes to passe, that Intemperance, is naturally punished with Diseases; Rashness, with Mischance; Injustice; with Violence of Enemies; Pride, with Ruine; Cowardice, with Oppression; Negligent government of Princes, with Rebellion; and Rebellion with Slaughter.
Thomas Hobbes— The Second Part, Chapter 31, p. 194
And for Incoherent Speech, it was amongst the Gentiles taken for one sort of Prophecy, because the Prophets of their Oracles, intoxicated with a spirit, or vapor from the cave of the Pythian Oracle at Delphi, were for a time really mad, and spake like mad-men; of whoose loose words a sense might be made to fit any event, in such sort, as all bodies are said to be made of Materia prima .
Thomas Hobbes— The Third Part, Chapter 36, p. 226 (See also: Glossolalia)
For words are wise men's counters they do but reckon by them but they are the money of fools.
Thomas Hobbes— Thomas Hobbes, The Leviathan, Part I, Chapter IV, scene 15
For if all things were equally in all men, nothing would be prized.
Thomas Hobbes— Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651), Part I, Chapter 8, page 32.
Setting themselves against reason, as often as reason is against them.
Thomas Hobbes— Thomas Hobbes, Works, III, p. 91. Ed. 1839. Also in Epistle Dedicatory to Tripos, IV, XIII
Faith is a gift of God, which man can neither give nor take away by promise of rewards or menace of torture.
Thomas Hobbes— Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)
